Finding the Matching Homeopathic Remedy is like Solving a Puzzle

Homeopathy sees the body as a whole system including mental, physical and emotional. It treats people, not disease.

Considering this perspective, a homeopath seeks a remedy that fits all of a patient’s physical and psychological symptoms.

Before I start looking for a remedy, I have to talk to my clients - often for a long time. One reason an initial consultation can last up to 3 hours is that I have to play detective.

Some clients are surprised by the type of questions I ask, but I know that finding a homeopathic prescription based on just one symptom is rarely successful. The goal is to find a remedy that fits the whole constellation of symptoms.

I recently saw a client who complained about a very sensitive stomach. She was very sensitive to pain and experienced bloating after each meal. She was often hungry and complained about frequent constipation.

There are more than 100 remedies matching these symptoms.

Through my studies of homeopathy, I have learned what questions to ask and how to ask them. I need as much information as possible to help my client heal.

After our consultation, I knew that my client felt better when she moved around, and worse from pressure of clothes. She told me that she often woke up feeling irritable and felt like heat aggravated her symptoms. When I asked her if she felt better or worse during a specific time of day, she looked at me with big eyes and answered: "Yes, it's really bad in the afternoon - starting around 4:00 pm when my kids come home from school."

I recommended a well-matching remedy based on the symptoms she expressed to me, and I gave her the remedy Lycopodium.

Click on the picture below to read more about the remedy Lycopodium.

Homeopaths and students of homeopathy are familiar with what is commonly known as a 'materia medica' (these Latin words mean 'materials of medicine'). A materia medica is a reference guide to homeopathic medicines (remedies) that describes individual active ingredients and the symptoms that they might address. The remedies are listed in alphabetical order. A typical listing will describe the general characteristics of a remedy, followed by a detailed list of symptoms associated with this remedy.

There are hundreds of materia medicas in book form and as online databases.

Homeopaths research their client’s symptoms (imagine each symptom as a puzzle piece). Then, the homeopath looks for an adequate remedy to address all symptoms the client experiences. By matching the totality of symptoms as closely as possible with the characteristics of the remedy, the homeopath is able to find the right remedy for the client.

It is easy to see why it is very difficult to list remedies for individual symptoms because all of the major aspects of the illness (physical, mental and emotional) must be taken into account to initiate a healing response.

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